Kaskara? help

[taekwondomon]

Hi everyone,

Just acquired this sword and looking for thoughts on its' origins. :)

Kind regards,
Shawn

[Iain]

At one time the blade was from a kaskara perhaps, however the current configuration looks like a fairly recent "bazaar" creation.

[Edster]

I think I agree with Iain for the most part. However, if the scabbard (crocodile skin) is original to the sword it could be from Upper Egypt (Ottoman cross guard?) and the kaskara blade may have been adapted by a member of a crocodile cult along the Nile. See attached thread from 2003.

http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001607.html

Just a thought.
Ed

[Iain]

Hi Ed,

I definitely think this is from Egypt. Note the use of a full tang rather than the usual pin to hold the hilt. This all indicates to me something that's a composite.

In terms of the crocodile scabbard, I'd have to dig out the exact quote but there's a passage from around the turn of the century describing these being hawked on the street in Cairo.

[stephen wood]

...actually, I've only ever seen one crocskara that showed evidence of local use - (probably quranic) talismen attached. The crossguard normally to be found on them is cast brass of a particular form betwixt the one above and the more typical kaskara guard...

Have a look at this (https://pacer.ischool.utexas.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/2081/9107/Grady.pdf?sequence=2) - quite interesting.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

...actually, I've only ever seen one crocskara that showed evidence of local use - (probably quranic) talismen attached. The crossguard normally to be found on them is cast brass of a particular form betwixt the one above and the more typical kaskara guard...

Have a look at this (https://pacer.ischool.utexas.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/2081/9107/Grady.pdf?sequence=2) - quite interesting.


Salaams Stephen Wood.. Your reference is indeed interesting. This analysis by Anne R Grady from Buffalo State College is excellent and the list of supporting references in her document are superb...as well as the materials used. Thank you for the post.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi. :shrug: